23 inspirational landing page design ideas

Landing pages help dictate a marketing campaign’s success: they’re what convert visits into sales. That’s a lot of pressure to put on a single web page! It’s also why it’s important to understand the design mechanics behind a landing page. Luckily, we’re here to help you avoid any crash landings.

What is a landing page? It’s similar to a website, but it usually lacks navigation or links. Instead, it will often feature a bold action-oriented headline, and upon scrolling will feature some key points to emphasize the value of a product or event. This is typically concluded with some method of converting visitors to consumers and participants—often an email capture or purchase method. Sounds simple right? But there’s many ways to design a landing page, only some of which will be right for your project. We’ve outlined the five major styles and given you 23 examples to inspire you and help you stick the landing!

Minimal, type-only landing pages
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The most basic style of landing page design is type-only, or lacking images. This type of landing page creates variety and aesthetic intrigue primarily through font choice, font size, color choices and typographic layout. This design style sends straight-forward message, and will appeal to customers who think logically and methodically, or those who appreciate messages which are simple and straight-to-the-point.

A great example of this style is the “A Place at the Table” landing page for a youth-based environmental education conference seeking event sponsors and attendees. The headlines on this site are in a large, hand-drawn cursive font, gives the page a youthful feel. The lack of images adds to the simplicity of the message, which aims to simplify our lifestyles or reduce our environmental impact. For scrolling rhythm, the design relies on a simple three-way color palette. Some page-sections have off-white backgrounds while others have saturated-teal backgrounds. Ultimately the design is simple and it’s use of type-only design makes sure not to lose the attention of any potential attendees who want to sign up.

Another design which relies on color to delineate page sections is the 99designs landing page template design. This three-way color palette is also woven through the typography and uses negative space within the blue and green sections. Unlike the previous example, this design uses multiple typefaces, which is a welcome sight for a design without the inherent variation of hand-lettering. In the end, any message that gets inserted into this design will cut to the chase, which many customers will appreciate.

Landing page designs with collage
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Some marketing campaigns need a design that speaks both visually and viscerally—a design that grabs visitors who are less inclined to read copy. One way this can be accomplished is through the use of collage, or a cut-and-paste style of imagery. In other words, product-specific images can be combined into “surreal” environments that are tailor-made for the product or event. The juxtaposition of these images work together to create a deeper meaning.

On the Paul J Tafelski landing page, a cut out image of the lawyer is pasted upon a photograph of the pillars of justice. This imagery communicates the message of the page; it tells the visitor that this man will bring you justice, and it does so in an exaggerated manner (that perhaps wouldn’t come through in a photograph of him standing next to some columns). This use of collage will inspire many people who feel a visceral need for justice to click for a consultation.

Meanwhile, on the landing page for customer success event Pulse, three elements are collaged: the golden gate bridge, a smiling woman and the pulse logo. Here, the use of collage allows the women to appear as if she’s gesturing towards San Francisco and welcoming you in—something that would be costly and hard to pull off in a simple photograph. Visitors who connect emotionally with these three combined images on this page are very likely to register.

Photographic landing pages
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Photographs create an emotional connection with an audience. Stirring up the desired emotion in a potential buyer can put them in the right mindset to buy. Sometimes all it takes is a simple background photo to make your visitors feel a sense of familiarity or need.

The Guard My Shit security app pages simply features a photo of someone holding their phone next to their computer. Visitors who own phones and computers will see this and automatically relate. On the other hand, The Firearm Cleaning Kits landing page features dark, dirty and grimy handguns. It looks dangerous—just like having a dirty guy is dangerous. This might create a sense of fear, which is another way you can motivate people to buy.

Not all photographic landing pages need to be that literal however. Check out page for Pylon peer to peer lending. It simply features two young adults standing above a city. We can interpret that the message here is that Pylon allows users to feel like they are on top of the world. The photo creates a feeling of freedom. It’s aspirational. People who land on this page want to feel that, and that’s what encourages them to sign up.

Does your landing page need to showcase a product that can easily featured in a photograph? Or do you need a metaphoric representation of your product like on the Pylon page? This style of landing page might be for you!

Computer and technology graphics
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Computer technology and science related industries market to customers who feel a sense of awe and who are impressed by feats of technology. To stir up that sense of astonishment, many technology companies are going with a style of design that features computer generated graphics. Think 3D renderings, graphs, interpretations of data and representations of computer components. This style of visual will often impress the viewer and instill a sense of awe at the technical level or the advanced attributes of a company’s product or service.

Take for example the landing page for Renerauld which features an extremely digitized interpretation of a globe. It’ a graphic style which was created with advanced computer software. Simply using a graphic in this style can give your customers the sense that you hold advanced capability, which in turn makes them want to buy-in.

In a more minimal design, the Stratejos landing page uses a subtle “motherboard” design in the background with an off-orange hue. This design is less technical from a design standpoint, but it still clearly sends the message that this company offers a product that relates to computer hardware and/or software. In the end it will surely still impress a customer who is less familiar with computers, and might just inspire them to click!

Illustrated landing pages
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Last, but not least, is the widely versatile illustration style of landing page. These designs are often friendly and colorful, and use fictional characters which in many ways often feel more approachable than actual humans (who are sometimes awkward). If your brand stands for approachability, or if your service requires extra-friendliness, an illustrated landing page might be for you.

Take for example the Move’n’Cash landing page which features a jolly crew of illustrated movers having the best day of their lives! It feels approachable and the fact that they are illustrated almost feels as if you never have to even deal with them.

Illustration can also allow companies to visually demonstrate points that would be difficult to express in other styles. On the Buoy landing page, a drowning person’s arm is reaching up for a buoy. This imagery is used to hint at the idea that the company Buoy helps you stay afloat if you feel like you are drowning financially. Illustration is a great choice here, given that any realistic representation of someone drowning might feel too intense. This design will definitely come across as light-hearted, friendly and helpful to someone who is actually drowning in debt.

Conclusion
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So there you have it: the five major major styles of landing page design to inspire you. All that’s left to do is ask what your startup or business is trying to communicate. If it’s a simple message go for simple typography. A TV ad? Use a collage. Looking for familiarity and comfort: try a large photograph. All about advanced technology? Why not use computer graphics. Let’s not forget about illustration for colorful and friendly looks. Now it’s time to go land some new customers!

Ready to get an awesome landing page for your company or campaign? Launch a design contest today!

The post is aimed at stylistic choices, and it sounds like you’re looking for a specific context/application of the style. A better way to think about it might actually be from a stylistic perspective, since there are many more applications of a style than there are styles themselves and the type of business would influence the style as well.

For a flash sale, for instance, some styles above that might work well are photography or collage (if the product lends itself to it photographs like retail or restaurant), illustrated (if it is an art oriented sale), computer/technology (if it is a digital product), or minimal/typography (if it is most important to just convey the time and place of the sale).

Hope that helps!

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